Circuit interrupter



CIRCUIT IETERHUPTER' Filed July 12, 26

Invenfor Oliver C. Traver, b q His ATTorne Patented Mar. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFiee" OLIVER 0. Taiwan, 015 scnnimcrnnx, nnw'yonx, ASSIGNOR T GENERAL COMPANY, A CORPORATION on NEW 'YonK' ELECTRIC CIRCUIT INTERRUP TER Application filed July 12,

The invention relates to circuit interrupters, particularly those having magnetic blowouts for extinguishlng the are producedupon interruption of the circuit and the prin-' cipal object of the invention IS'tO provide an improved form of n'iagnetic are blowout arrangement suitable for high voltage heavy duty service.

Due to the relatively great fore it is extinguished, together with the relatively large amount of energy released in the arc, the usual form of magnetic blowout for qu-encl'iing and dissipating the are between switch contacts, as commonly emever, with my improved form of magnetic blowout, the are is received from the switch contacts and preferably both ends of the are are rapidly moved so as to stretch the arc to a relatively great length. At the same time a progressively increasing impedance is inserted in the are circuit so as to reduce the current and consequently the energy in the arc. Thus as the length of the arc is rapidly increased and the energy in the arc is rapidly decreased my improved blowout enables even high voltage, power arcs to be quickly dissipated. Furthermore, my mproved magnetic arc blowout s of such simplified and rugged construction as tosuccessfully withstand severe arcing service.

In carrying the present invention into effect in a preferred form, the circuit interrupter is provided with a magnetic blowout in the form of an elongated windlng for receiving the are from a suitable switch. The successive turns of the winding are spaced apart and disposed so as to supply a magnetic flux transverse to the path of the arc. Preferably the magnetic are blowout winding is formed upon a core of arc-res1st1ng material with the successive turns of the winding skewed or disposed at an acute angle with the axis of the wlnding so as to give a large component of leakage flux between the successive turns of the winding length to which. lo a high voltage power are must be drawn be- 1926. Serial No. 121,894.

whichis transverse the axis of the Winding. Thus, with the winding electrically connected to one of the switch members and arranged to receive the arc therefrom so as to energize a portion of the turns ofv the Winding by the current flowing in the arc, the end of the arc is rapidly driven along the successive turns of the winding by; the transverse flux component. As the end of the. arc travels along the successive turns of the winding the arc is drawn out and attenuated and, at the same time, the inclusion of the, additional turns. of the windingin the arc circuit serves, to insert .an" increasing reactance therein until the arc, isfinally dissipated.

' A. more complete understanding of the in vention may be had from the accompanying drawingwhich illustrates a high voltage power circult interrupter embodying a preferred form of the invention. In the draw 111g Flg. 1 ,1s an elevation of a circuit inter-' rupter-showing a preferred arrangement of,

ceiving and dissipating the arc resulting upon operationof switch 10 to open the circuit of the high voltage power'conductors L1, L2. The switch 10 is shown as of the auxiliary break type having a main switch contact 13 operable into and out of engagement with r the stationary contact 1% and the auxiliary or arcing switch 15 cooperating with the arcing contact 16. The arcing contact 16' isin the form of a shell or enclosure about the blowout coil 17, which is connected at one end to the arcing-terminal 16- and at the other end to the main switch contact 14. y

The magnetic arc blowouts 11 and 12 each comprise, in accordance with 'my invention, a conductor in the form of an elongated winding with the successive turns .of the winding spaced apart and disposed to supply a magnetlc flux transverse the path of the are received from switch 10. As niore clearly shown in Fig. 2,'the blowout 12 is formed ota conductor 18 which is wound about a core ot' insulating 'material 19, such as asbestos board or the like, having a series of notches cut in the opposite sides thereof as illustrated, or provided with other suitable means for rigidly holding the successive turns of the conductor in. fixed spacedrelation.

The core 19 may be of rectangular cross-v section as shown so that the successive turns ot'the conductor 18 also are substantially rectangular, or the core and turns may be of circular' section if desired. In either. :case,

preferably suitable notches 20 are so arranged and the conductor 18 is so wound that the successive turns oft-he conductor are skewed o'r'disposed'at'an acute angle to the axis, of the winding. In this'way each of the'succes sive turns of the winding 18 is capable of setting up a flux transverse tothe axis of the w nding. Preferably the successive turns of the winding overlap so that the transverse leakage 'flux component at any point is of increased value. The turns of the winding 18 may be retained nthe notches ot the core 19 by means of the side boards 21" and also of suitable insulating material such as j in Fig. :3.

asbestos board, which extend slightly' above the top of the core19as shown more in detail 7 With" this construction the exposed portions Oftllf} overlapping turns 01? 1 winding 18 serveas a composite arcing terminal for receiving the are from the switch 10 and thetransverse component of. flux set up upon flow of the current inthe are through winding.

the successive turns of'winding18xservcs to rapidly move the end of the are along the It will'be observed that the windings of the .magneticarc blowoutsll and 12 are skewed inopposite directions in order that .each may set upa transverse magnetic flux inflie proper direction to cause 11lovement of the ends of the are upwardly along.

the current flowing in the supply lines L1,

L2, .to-pass through the blowout .coil '17 and the auxiliary arcingswitch 15. As the latter disengages the arcing contact 16 and moves into proximity. of the terminal 23 ot the magnetic blowout. 12, the magnetic field setup by the blowout coil 17 forces the are on to themagnetic blowouts 11 and 12. As the turns near the lower ends of the blowouts are thus energized by thecurrent flowing in the arc circuit, these turns serve to set up a magnetic field transverse the path of the arc in the proper direction as to react upon'the arc'so as to cause the ends of the arc to move upwardly along the magnetic blowouts 11 and 12. As the successive turns of the winding forming each of the blowouts are thus successively connected in the are circuit the actuating transverse component of flux falls in close proximity to the end of the are. Also as more and more turns of the windings forming the blowou ts 11 and 12 are connected in the are circuit, themoreased reactance serves to materially reduce the value ofthe current in the arc itself.

Under the joint influence of the transverse magnetic fields and the-increased reactance in the are circuit, the arc is finally stretched and-atte11uated as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 so'that the arc itself is ruptured. While-I have illustrated and described the magnetic blowouts 11 and 12 as formed of av conductor wound in notches upon an' insulatmg core, the winding may be formed of suitable shape and cast in concrete if desired .withthe overlapping portion of the successive turns of the winding exposed to form a composite arcing terminal. Furthermore, suitable renewable arcing contacts may be provided for the arcing portions o l? the successiveturns of the winding if desired.

\Vhat- I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: 1; A magnetic arc blowout for a circuit interrupter "comprising an elongated core having. transverse slots in opposite sides thereof, and a winding having the successive turns located in said slots with the interconnecting portion of the winding: on at least one side of-the core disposed at an oblique angle to theaxis of thecore and exposed to form a composite arcing terminalalong which the arc is driven by the leakage flux of the winding. I I

2. The method oi: breaking an electriccna.

cuit whichconsists in establishing an initial arc and forming a following.preponderant magnetic field independent of the magnetic field of the are at one side of the arc to move the are for extension. j

.3.=The method of breaking an electric-circuit which consists in establishing an initial are between diverging termini forming a gradually widening gap and forming a 01 lowing preponderant magnetic field independ- V entot' the magnetic fieldof the are at one side of thearc to move the arc along the gap.

51. The method of breaking an electric circuit which consists in establishing an initial arc and forming a following preponderant magnetic field at one side of the areWi-th a greater magnetic field strength adjacent to a terminalthan at intermediate parts of the arc to move the are for extension.

5. The methodot breaking an electric circuit which consists in establishing an initial arc and forming two magnetic fields with a preponderance at One side of the arc and with axes across the axis of the arc and ad- ]acent to the termini of the arc.

6. The method of breaking an electric circuit which consists in establishingan initial are and forming two magnetic fields with a preponderance at one side of the arc and with axes across the axis of the arc and adjacent to and outside of the termini of the arc.

7. The method of breaking an electric circuit which consists in establishing an initial arc and forming two magnetic fields with a preponderance at one side of the arc and with axes across the axis of the arc and with the same direction of flow between the termini.

8. The method of breaking an electric circnit which consists in establishing an initial arc and forming two magnetic fields with a preponderance at one side of the arc and with axes across the axis of the arc and in the direction of fiow of the magnetic field of the are at the side of the arc toward the preponderance of the side fields.

S). The method of breaking an electric circuit which consists in mechanically initially breaking the circuit to form an arc and forming a following preponderant magnetic field independent of the magnetic field of the are at one side of the arc to move the are so initially formed for extension.

10. The method of breaking an electric circuit which consists in establishing an initial are between diverging termini and forming by coils along a terminus, an actuating field of greater intensity at the terminus of the are adjacent to the coil than nearer the center of the arc whereby the terminal advance of the are may be proportioned to the advance of the central portions of the arc.

I 11. The method of breaking an' electric circuit which consists in establishing an initial arc between diverging termini and forming by coils along each terminus an actuating field of greater intensity than at the center of the arc whereby the terminal advance of the arc may be proportioned to theadvance of the central portions of the arc. V

12. The method of breaking an electric circuit which consists in establishing an initial arc and forming a following magnetic field independent of the magnetic field of the are at one side of the arc to move the are for extension.

13. The method of breaking an electric cirv 14. In an electric circuit breaker, the combination of diverging arc-forming terminals; and means comprising a magnetic field forming coil forming a preponderant magnetic field at one side of the are along one of said terminals.

15. In an electric circuit breaker, the comblnation of diverging arc-forrmng terminals,

and means comprising a magnetic field formmg 0011 forming a 'preponderant magnetic field at one side of the arc along both of said terminals.

16. In an electric circuit breaker, the combination of diverging arc-forming terminals; and means comprising a magnetic field forming preponderant magnetic fields at one side of the are along said terminals with the same direction of flow of said fields between said terminals.

17. In an electric circuit breaker, the combination of diverging arc-forming terminals;

and means comprising a magnetic field form- ,lng COll forming preponderant magnetic fields at one side of thearc along said terminals with the same direction of flow of said fields CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,796,066. Granted March 10, 1931, to

OLIVER C. TRAVER.

certified that error appears in the printed specification of the correction as follows: Page 3, line 78, claim insert the words coil forming; and that the herein that the same It is hereby above numbered patent requiring 16, before the word "preponderant" said Letters Patent should be read with this correction t may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 14th day of April, A. D. 1931.

M. J. Moore,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

(Seal) 

